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Lesson Plan

Lesson 2: The United States, France, and the Problem of Neutrality, 1796–1801

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This Lesson 2: The United States, France, and the Problem of Neutrality, 1796–1801 lesson plan also includes:

While the French Revolution could be considered inspired by the American Revolution, it created thorny problems for the new United States. Should the United States get involved and be drawn into a European drama? Was the US strong enough? Using primary sources such as diplomatic reports and presidential speeches, learners consider the choices the early republic had when debating what to do with one of its first foreign policy crises. 

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CCSS: Designed
Concepts
american history, early american history, france, the french revolution, united states foreign policy, primary source analysis, primary sources
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Additional Tags
social studies
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Instructional Ideas
  • Use primary source materials
  • Create a group work activity based on the suggested lesson plan
Classroom Considerations
  • Second of the three-part series called The Crisis of American Diplomacy, 1793–1808
Pros
  • Primary sources are easy to adapt to a variety of classroom activities
  • Worksheets allow for scaffolded analysis
  • Case-study approach engages scholars' interest
Cons
  • Some links are no longer live, but resources are accessible at the bottom of the page